LIVERMORE — Home during a brief leave from Iraq, Barron Flanders was thrilled Monday to head out to the Livermore airport for a look at a family friend’s World War II warbird, a sleek, million-dollar P-51 fighter designed to escort bombers.

But when the Army sergeant arrived at the hangar, he learned he would be receiving a far better gift: a ride.

Gary Flanders arranged the 20-minute gift for his 21-year-old son by covering a good portion of the fuel, which costs at least $500 for a trip that length. A pilot himself, Gary Flanders said his son always has been intrigued by flying and wants to be a commercial pilot when he finishes his military service soon. Barron Flanders, a graduate of San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, serves as a paratrooper.

“It’s one of his wishes, naturally,” Flander said of his son. “The whole thing is to give him bragging rights when he gets back from Iraq. It’ll be something 10, 20, 30 years down the road to say, ‘I’ve done it.'”

Once strapped inside the plane, the younger Flanders leaned back as Stuart Eberhardt of Danville eased the 67-year-old Merlin’s Magic into the air and headed toward the Central Valley. There, away from Bay Area traffic and density, Eberhardt let the craft “buck its head” and roll as it wanted, he said.

After the plane touched down in Livermore and taxied toward the hanger, Barron Flanders crawled onto the wing and jumped down to the asphalt.

“How was it?” his dad asked.

His son smiled. “It was fun.”

The warplane is faster and sportier than the jets and cargo planes Flanders is used to seeing around him in northern Iraq, where he is stationed. Of about 12,000 warbirds originally produced during World War II , it’s estimated no more than 150 still exist.

The difference, he said, “is like the difference between driving a Lincoln and driving a Ferrari.”

After a visit with his mom in Danville and his dad in Vallejo, the soldier heads back to the Middle East today, with six months of service left to do in the region. His father hopes he’ll think of this day on the days they’re apart.

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